Architects

Drilling deeper: On the ground insights from the Marcellus Shale region

The Marcellus Shale region is expansive, stretching from upstate New York through Pennsylvania to West Virginia. It’s an exciting time to live and work in the area. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the region is estimated to contain more than 410 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The demand for natural gas has put this section of the U.S. on the map.
Nov. 6, 2014
2 min read
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The Marcellus Shale region is expansive, stretching from upstate New York through Pennsylvania to West Virginia. It’s an exciting time to live and work in the area. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the region is estimated to contain more than 410 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The demand for natural gas has put this section of the U.S. on the map. Showing their confidence in the future of Marcellus Shale, many small and large energy companies are making sizable investments in the area. 

At Williams Scotsman, we are proud to support the continued growth in the region. To date, we’ve provided more than 100 modular units for projects, helping to ensure day-to-day tasks are accomplished to produce natural gas. With four branch locations in the Marcellus Shale region, we have a unique lens into the area’s growth and transformation. For example, we’ve seen an influx of opportunities in the midstream sector, which involves the transportation, storage, and distribution of natural gas products from producers to power plants and chemical facilities.   
 
Responsible drilling and fracking is also a point of emphasis here, with extensive legislation and regulations passed in states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, hydraulic fracking produces fractures in the rock formation that stimulate the flow of natural gas or oil, increasing the amount of gas that can be recovered. While hydraulic fracking is currently prohibited in New York, Pennsylvania has developed guidelines and regulations to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents and the environment surrounding fracking wells. We work firsthand with companies that take these regulations very seriously. We’ve seen more companies actively participate in the community, which positively impacts the region as a whole.

Pennsylvania’s economy is largely supported by the oil and natural gas industry, with 4.7 percent of Pennsylvania total employment stemming from this industry, according to a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers study. Natural Resources Economics, Inc. predicts that full development of the Marcellus Shale could support more than 211,000 Pennsylvania fracking jobs by 2020. We are committed to supporting the Marcellus Shale region along with other emerging energy hotbeds throughout North America.  

Do you live or work in the Marcellus Shale region? Tell us about your experience in the comments section. 

About the Author
Paul Raiford is Director of Energy Services for Williams Scotsman. 

About the Author

Williams Scotsman

Williams Scotsman, an Algeco Scotsman company, offers space solutions for the energy, construction, industrial, education, commercial/retail, healthcare, and government markets, with operations in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Williams Scotsman serves customers’ modular space and storage needs through a network of nearly 100 locations throughout North America. In addition to its core leasing business, the company manages and develops permanent modular structures. To learn more about us, head to www.willscot.com. 

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